Conduit connector



y 18, 1954 D. c. BORTNER CONDUIT CONNECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1951 INVENTOR. DAVID C. BORTNER BY Aftorney May 18. 1 5 n. c. BORTNER CONDUIT CONNECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1951 m MN T MR 0 B C m V m Y B May 18, 1954 D. c. BORTNER CONDUIT CONNECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 1951 INVENTOR. DAVID CBORTNER BY Patented May 18, 1954 OONDUI' T- comiiidfo'n poration of Delaware Application June" 19; 1951, Sei-iai'NoFZ32IS'93 4 Claims- (o1. 13s-25) This invention relates to an improvement in clamps. particularly adaptable to sectional troughs or conduits employed with polyplaneff conveyors for connecting the abutting ends ofthe troughs or conduits together; and'where the troughs or conduits are-joined with turn casings;

Theinvention consists of certain novel Teatui'es 'of'construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth and desig"- nated in the claims.

In' the accompanying drawings:

Figurel is a perspective view illustrating one arrangement of a polyplane conveyor;"'

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a conduit,-

takenon line 2-2 of Figure 1;

FigureB is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing the abutting ends of two conduits com nected together by a clamp;

Figure 4 is a detailed view in elevation showing a clamp encircling the ends of two conduits;'

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation of a clamp ap'plie'dto a conduit shown in cross's'ection;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through con-" duit and clamp;

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view" of" conduits connected together "by "a 'modified' clamp and Figure 8 is a detail view in elevation" ofthe construction shown in Figure '7.

In "the drawings an illustration'is "shownbf one arrangement of the conduits in providinga polyplane conveyor for conveying the material;- ina circuit having many directions and extend-" ing through a combination of horizontal, 'ver tic'aland angular planes.

The conveyor is composed of a plurality of tubes'or conduits C, in this instance arranged in parallelismwherein the conduits are'in sections and each conduit consists of two longitudinal trough sections IQ and l I. Two trough sections 7 when assembled together producing a tube D through which the material is conveyed. Each troughsection l0 and H is provided with a longitudinal lateral extension M, which extensions I4 of two superimposed trough sections, when brought together form a second tube E for' an The belt I2 is formed with-four lateral projecting ribs l3, preferably equally spaced from one another. Three of the ribs l3 are received in channels I 5, formed longitudinally of the extensions !4, l4, and tube E for rigidly supporting the belt in its travel. The inner adjoining edges of the trough sections [0 and II, where the two tubes D and E are joined are spaced from each other to produce a passage or endless belt i2.

"Fig-drew. Paddles 01" flights l8, are' suitably 2 f slo't l'l-length wise of 'the tubes, and this passe orfsflotf-"l lis normally closed by one' ofthe iibs l3"-'of the'belt l2, 'except'where'the conneotion is "made' between the belt l2 and paddles [8; see

spacjedjfrom each otherand are disposed in 'the tube D} andare'connected to the belt l2 through th pa ssage or slot l1. A

Thetrou'gh section IOis provided with a magitudlnal flange '20' which is bent inwardly to-fornf' a hook 2l along one edge thereof and the o posite edge of the trough is provided with an on wardly projecting bead 22 extending*lon'gitudi-* nally of the extension M. The other trough se tion' llis provided along one of its edges and longitudinally thereof with a flange 24 whioh is provided with an inwardly directing hooked end" 25. The fiange'24'and hooked end 25 are similar 'in construction to the flange and hooked" endZl of the trough H), but is of a size to'fit and' befie'ceived withinthe'hooked end of fiangezu and hooked end 2| of the section I 0 so that the trough section I I may swing away from the sec tion n with the fiange'Zil and hooked e d-2| actihg"'-as a fulcrum or pivotal point forthe fiangeffland'hooked end of the troughflfl Onf-theop'posite side the trough H is provide atfthe outenedge of the extension 14' with a longitudinal groove 27 for the receptionbftfie bead 22'when'the sections Ill and II are brought" togetheras illustrated in Figure 2.

Theend'softhe' parallel conduits D andE are? connected at one oftheir endsto a telescopic conduit 28, of'similar construction, of a horizontal'tu'rn" 'casing'B and at their opposite ends"are connected to a vertical turn casing A.

Refnfring more specifically to Figures 3 to 6 measuring-ends of'the trough'sections' I 0' andl l are "connected together" by sectional clamps; The but'e'rclainp' section 29 encircles and'con form'stothoontour of the trough'section 1'0 and is conne cteu'thereto by means'of screws 30 which pass'thr'ough'thetrough section II]. Thisclanip section 29 is also recessed asat'3l to' envelope the extension l4 and bead 22. The clampsec tion 29 'is aiso ece'ssea at 33 for" the r ception;- ofth'e fiafig'e'ffl'on' the'opposite'sideof thetroiihli section lfl; one end of theblar'hp section 29" is "slotted: or bifurcated at -3d for the reception; of a tongue 3'.iof'theinner clamp section 36L" The tongue 35 is connected to the clamp section 29 by a pin 31 for forming a pivotal connection between the two sections 29 and 36. The inner clamp section 36 encircles and conforms to the contour of the trough section II and also is provided along its inner face with a recess 38 for the reception of the extension I4. This clamp 36 is also provided with a recess 39 for the reception of the flange 24 of trough section H and hooked end 21 of trough section In. In this manner the two tubes D and E of the conduit C are entirely confined within the clamp sections 29 and 36. Formed on the exterior of each clamp section 29 and 36 are slotted ears -40-4l, respectively. The ears 40 and 4| of the respective clamp sections 29 and 36 are in registry with one another and pivoted to the car 40 is a bolt 42 by a pin 43. This bolt is adapted to be swung downwardly into the slotted ears 4!! and 4| and is provided at its lower end with screw threads 44 for receiving a knob 45 which has screw threaded engagement with the bolt for locking the two clamping sections 29 and 36 about the tubes D and E.

Received in the recess 33 of clamp section 29 and recess 39 of clamp section 36 is a C-shaped gasket 46, one end of which is provided with a hooked end or flange 47 which is received within the hooked ends 2! and of sections l0 and l I. Beceived in the recess 3! of clamp section 29. is a gasket 48 which is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of longitudinal recesses 32 for the reception of the extension M of the trough section 10 and to conform to the horizontal and vertical channels l5 of the extensions. The clamp section 35 receives a similar gasket 55 in the recess 38 to conform to the extension M. In

this manner when the knob 55 is screwed upon I the bolt 42 the clamp sections and gaskets insure a tight joint between the abutting edges of i a pair of adjacent tubes D and a pair of adjacent tubes E.

It will be appreciated that upon the release of the knob 45 and swinging the bolt 42 from engagement with the slotted ears 40 and M that the clamp bracket 35 and trough section it may be swung away from the clamp section 29 and trough section It for the purpose of cleaning the troughs or making necessary repairs.

Figures '7 and 8 disclose the clamp sections- 54 and 36 for connecting the trough sections H) I and H to the flanged trough sections 52, which are elements of the telescopic sections 28 connected to the horizontal turn casing B. These sections 52 are provided with a flange 5S and the clamp section 54 is made annular to receive the screw bolts 55 for connecting the trough sections 52 to the clamping section 54. As seen in Figure 8 the clamp section 54 is provided with a clamp section 35 which is pivoted thereto similar to that shown in Figures 5 and 6 and which section 36 is secured to the clamp section 54 similar to that shown in Figures 5 and 6 by means of the bolt 42, knob 45, and slotted ears 48 and 4|. The

clamping arrangement as shown in Figures '7 and 8 is also provided for connecting the ends of trough sections in and H with the flanged ends of vertical turn casing A, and therefore need not be, further described.

I claim:

1. The combination of two longitudinally sec-' tional conduits arranged in abutting relation, said sections of each conduit being hinged together, each of said sections of each conduit being provided with a longitudinal semi-circular passage and a longitudinal channel, a C-shaped gasket engaging said conduit sections about said hinged connection thereof,gasketshavingachannel interfitted with said channels of said sections, a clamp encircling said conduits at their juncture of abutment and engaging said gaskets, said clamp having two sections hinged together and one of said clamp sections being connected to a section of each of said adjacent conduits, and means for connecting said clamp sections together.

2. The combination of a plurality of longitudinally sectional conduits arranged in end to end relation, each conduit comprising an upper and a lower section, a sectional clamp for connecting the ends of said adjoining conduit sections together, means for hinging said clamp sections together, one section of said clamp being connected to adjoining sections of said conduits for joining said conduit sections together, said other conduit sections being supported at their ends by said other clamp section, and means connecting said clamp sections and conduit sections together.

.3. The combination of a plurality of longitudinally sectional conduits arranged in end to end relation, said sections of each conduit being hinged together, a clamp encircling the ends of each of said adjoining conduits, said clamp having an inner and an outer section hinged together, said outer clamp sections of each clamp being connected to adjoining sections of said conduits for connecting said sections together, said inner clamp sections and said other conduit sections encompassed thereby having a swinging movement with respect to said first mentioned outer clamp sections and said conduit sections, and means for connecting said inner and outer clamp sections together and causing said sections of a conduit to be joined.

l. The combination of a plurality of longitudinally sectional conduits arranged in end to end relation, said sections of each conduit being hinged together, each of said conduit sections having a longitudinal trough passage and a longitudinal channel shaped extension to provide two longitudinally parallel passages for each conduit, a clamp for connecting the ends of each of said adjoining conduits together, said clamp having an inner and outer section hinged together, said clamp sections havin their inner surfaces conforming to the contour of said trough and channel extension or" each of said conduit sections,

outer clamp sections and conduit sections, and

means for connectin said inner and outer clamp sections together and causing said sections of a conduit to be joined.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,928,570 Mustico Sept. 26, 1933 2,383,932 Brunner Sept. 4, 1945 

